Sunshine (episode)
"Sunshine" was the pilot episode of the series TUGS. Plot The series starts by giving us an introduction to the Star Fleet. A tugboat called Sunshine from up river comes to help the Star Fleet. They are to tow in the Duchess, the grand ocean liner. The Z Stacks find out about this and they make a plan to get the contract. Hercules is away on duty. So the Z Stacks put Big Mac out of action by pushing him on a mud bank. When the Stars tow in Duchess, Zorran pushes Sunshine into the Duchess's rudder. The Star Fleet didn't see this. Sunshine feels bad and he runs away. The Z Stacks are pleased with their plan and they think they will get the Contract. The Star Fleet are cross with Sunshine but Ten Cents sticks up for him and decides to look for him. On his search, he meets Izzy Gomez the tramp steamer. Izzy tells him that it was Zorran who hit Sunshine. He then tells the rest of the Star Fleet and they all go looking for Sunshine. They find him in danger of sinking. They persuade him to go back home with them, so Sunshine agrees. Warrior suddenly discovers he was supposed to give Izzy Gomez a tow, and rushes off to find him. The truth is out and Captain Zero yells at Zak, Zorran and Zip. Captain Star tells the Star Fleet that they have learned they shouldn't jump to conclusions before knowing the truth and he also tells them that he has decided to make Sunshine a member of the Star Fleet. Characters * Captain Star * Ten Cents * Big Mac * O.J. * Top Hat * Warrior * Hercules * Sunshine * Captain Zero * Zorran * Zak * Zug * Zip * Izzy Gomez * Lillie Lightship * The Duchess * Puffa * Sally Seaplane * Zebedee (cameo) * Eddie (cameo) * Big Mickey (cameo) * Fire Tug (cameo) * Johnny Cuba (model cameo) * Grampus (cameo) * Coast Guard's Messenger (cameo) Trivia *First appearances of all the Star Tugs, Z-Stacks, Izzy Gomez, Lillie Lightship, and the only speaking role of Sally Seaplane. *The only appearance of the Duchess throughout the whole series. *Only episode to introduce a new permanent Star tug. Grampus became a Star in 4th of July, but he's a submarine, not a tugboat. Boomer joined later on but only for a short period. *Zebedee is the only Z-Stack that doesn't speak in this episode. *There are two scenes in this episode. The scenes are: *Sunshine arriving in the port *Sunshine leaving the port at night. *At the beginning when Captain Star is introducing the Star Tugs, O.J. is seen going by the S.S. Vienna surrounded by Z-Stacks. An extended version of this scene can be seen in the theme song. *When Captain Star introduces Top Hat, look to the right and you can see Eddie. Goofs * While Sunshine still has his white and black Smokestack, he is painted in the Yellow Star livery. It's a goof because Sunshine had yet to join the Star Fleet and wouldn't have been painted in their livery before joining. * When Ten Cents leaves his fellow Star Tugs in the beginning his face becomes dirty but a few shots before that his face is clean * At the beginnig, when the Star Tugs are whistling excitedly about the Duchess, Hercules' whistle can be heard, but Hercules isn't seen there. * At briefing at the beginning, Warrior and Big Mac keep changing places. * When the Star Tugs are towing the Duchess, look closely in the close-up of Top Hat and you can see he is not moving. * During the towing of the Duchess, Warrior bumps into a nearby anchored boat lightly in one scene. * When Sunshine runs into the Duchess, his smokestack bends. * In a rare picture, a camera leg can be seen near Zorran. * In a rare picture, the ropes on Zorran's hull is out of place. * During the towing of the Duchess, The Coast Guard Messenger and Fire Tug are on the left side of the Duchess, but in a rare picture and deleted scene they are on the right side. * After when Zorran talks to Zip, Warrior stops when towing the Duchess.